


Darkest Parts Of The Heart

by MintQueenJo



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Lies, Magic, Mind Games, Secrets, Smut, This may be darker, Witches, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:55:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22732918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MintQueenJo/pseuds/MintQueenJo
Summary: Once upon a time the Fae were allowed to lie, until one great lie tore apart a bloodline. In the wake of dying screams a curse had been enchanted that there would be nor more lies. Because they spilled like poison from their lips and rotted the earth.Every now and then there are a few who's magic runs too great to be bound by such a binding.So tell me lies, so many lies. And I'll tell you a few of my own.Here in the darkest parts of the heart do we get lost.
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 10
Kudos: 32





	Darkest Parts Of The Heart

**Author's Note:**

> No I cant stay on one story.
> 
> But I have had this sitting in my google docs since NOVEMBER!
> 
> Let me know how you like it, I'm definitely making Jude and Cardan a lot darker in this, and I'll try to keep them from falling in love too fast.

She appeared out of nowhere, a queen of nothing to everyone. He was instantly drawn to her, to the way her dark auburn hair curled around her neck and shoulders and the curling horns that were attached to a tiara— it looked to be the antlers of the kudu animal. Around the band thin points of silver formed into a halo of spikes. Shards of onyx and moonstone were placed in the twisted silver that resembled thin gossamer lace that held her curling hair back. A queen of nothing any of them knew about and yet she wore a crown. A crown that was unlike any of his father’s court have ever seen on a woman.

Especially a mortal woman.

Her dress started from the lightest of lavender that shifted into the darkest grey of a rolling storm cloud right before the rain. Her back was bare tanned skin where the cloth of the dress looped around her neck. As if in a tempting and teasing way the sides of her breasts were almost visible but the front of the dress had no plunging neckline. The only jewels she wore were the dark onyx and moonstone dangling earrings that would catch the light of the sunrise and the onyx necklace with graciously large sliver of moonstone. Woven metal claws tipped her fingers.

Cardan was enraptured by the creature that had his father’s court parting to make way for her, ears rounded unlike his own pointed ones. She was human and not. But he couldn’t place how unmortal she seemed, maybe in the way she held herself. He realized that once she got closer her brown eyes were that of warm dark amber— chestnuts that would roast on the fire during the late winter snows— but there was a fire in them that was more alive than any human’s eyes, an almost shift of yellow that must’ve been a reflection of torch light.

The lavender skinned pixie on his lap demanded his attention.

Attention that wasn’t on her but on the young woman who had approached his frail and sickly father as he sat rigidly on his throne. The room had such a silence over it that you could hear the flutter of wings, the ringing in his head was loud as he watched the woman bow to his father and stand up her mouth moving. Cardan sat several seats away from his father since he was the youngest of all the children. From the corner of his eye he saw both Belkin and Dain roam their eyes over her. Both vying for the crown they wanted to have the better wife, and maybe— just maybe— she was enrapturing enough to look good beside the throne. A good looking prize, but how many mistresses would they take, how many illegitimate children would they sire? Would this unnamed woman be okay with that?

She walked down the line tilting her head at each one of his siblings and with a start he had gone even more still as she stood before him. The pixie in his lap made a discontented noise as Cardan stared the beautiful human-not-human down. “It is a pleasure to meet all of you. King Eldred, thank you for inviting me into your home.”

Her voice rang deep within him and it echoed as she turned, his eyes caught thin white scars on her back as she walked away.

He looked for her, everywhere his eyes looked they landed on her as she conversed with the crowd. The fae were either smitten or envious of her, of the hold over the eldest princes she seemed to have. Each time his eyes found her she would turn her head not pausing her conversation to stare him down. Each time his coal black eyes met hers they seemed to burn brighter with each smirk.

He needed a drink, the pixie on his lap had long gone once she realized his attention was no longer on her. He made his way down from his seat to wherever he could procure wine, he found a goblet— the dark red of the liquid would stain his lips and help him feel better about this intruder of his mind. It was enticing having her here he realized as passing parties only whispered about her and which of the two older princes she would take, and with a sigh the rim touched his lips—

“Do you always have to get out of your mind with drink?” The cup was lowered and those brown eyes looked over at him with amusement, a crystal goblet of her own held between captivating fingers, metal nail covers tapped against the stem. “For such a young prince, a young lovely prince.” His insides twisted and he had to look away, she was too much.

“I hate parties like this where my father pretends he likes all his children.” He couldn’t lie to her, not while she was his father’s guest, he could’ve given her a vague answer but for some reason he didn’t want to.

“That’s sad,” she stepped closer, “I know what it’s like not being the favorite.”

It was a stare down as they just looked at each other, she lifted the plum wine to her lips and he watched the line of her tan throat as she swallowed, the slenderness of it. He wanted nothing more than to suck bruises on her flesh, to wrap his long pale fingers around that beautiful throat and press enough to hear her gasp and plead for him.

With a raised brow she reached out to run her pointer finger over the rim of his own cup collecting droplets of his wine with the metal. His coal eyes watched that finger as she withdrew it and poked her tongue out between those plump lips of hers and ran it down her the length, once done she sucked on the finger. Cardan wondered if that didn’t hurt her tongue the claws seemed sharp enough to slice through flesh.

She smiled, a feral way about her, as those eyes roamed hotly over his body— stopping at his hands, his thighs, his own mouth. She took a long time on his chest and groin with an eyebrow raised. “We shall converse later, it seems I’m robbing a young woman of your company, prince.” With another smaller wicked smirk she turned and was gone through the spinning of bodies.

Young woman?

A slender hand place itself on his arm, “your brothers seem to lust after her. A woman that the birds are waiting to feast on.”

Ocean blue hair framed a narrow face, Nicasia the fair maiden and daughter of Orlagh the queen of the sea. The match that his father wanted to join the sea and the land together. She was pretty and there was a time Cardan had her and then lost her and longed for her but now there was nothing.

Nothing.

“Is that so? I would think one of them would want to marry someone as fair and lovely as you.” It wasn’t a lie she was fair and lovely and he did think their parents had thought of many ways to join the two kingdoms. He couldn’t lie on his thoughts of the young mortal woman which at the moment were of intrigued fascination. She came out of nowhere and belonged there as if she had always been. “I guess it is so.”

She frowned not getting the answer she wanted out of him, “do you find her just as mesmerizing?”

“There’s a curiosity about her that I intend to understand. She does seem to draw everyone towards her and it would be a waste for someone not to bed her while she is here.” A look blazed in her eyes, an emotion and he was very aware of it. If given the chance they both knew that he wouldn’t hesitate to take that woman to bed with him. “It’d be even more of a waste if one of my brothers didn’t ask for her hand. A beautiful mortal bride for beautiful children.”

It was the truth no twist of words.

“Would you take her? I saw how she looked at you, there was something there, Cardan.” He craned his head when he saw a glimpse of a tanned shoulder. “You are considering it, aren’t you?”

“It has crossed my mind,” the goblet was brought to his mouth as he drained it of every last drop.

Nicasia didn’t like that response, “is that so?” She repeated his words and her eyes searched his face for any sign of discretion on his face, he thought that maybe she had a right to be angry— offended even. Then he remembered he had her and she chose another, what did it matter if his heart was not into her anymore? With that he was pulling away from her and through the crowd of grasping hands wanting time from their prince. 

Cardan had looked for her then as he walked the outer edges of the ballroom, realizing he didn’t even know her name. He didn’t know anything about her. A shame really it was rude for a prince to not know the names of important persons in his father’s court. He couldn’t see her or her crown anywhere as he looked over heads and through gaps between the bodies, only seeing horns and strikingly colorful hair, and with a sinking feeling at the thought— once he realized Dain was also missing— she was being bedded by his second eldest brother. A dark disappointment spread from inside him, of course everyone would go for Dain, he was the obvious choice of being crowned king when their father passed. Would Dain be faithful? Cardan grabbed a bottle of wine and another just in case— intentions clearly on forgetting the beautiful creature that had stunned subjects of Elfhame. He stumbled from the ballroom and down the halls, he had a room at his brother, Balekin’s, estate. One he didn’t want to go to once Balekin learned  _ who  _ Dain was bedding, it would be taken out on the younger with no hesitation. And there in the palace he had a room at the far end where it was secluded and away from everyone else. Taking a sip from the wine as he walked, thoughts fixated on that tan neck, the fiery chestnut eyes he wanted those eyes looking up at him as her full rosy pink lips parted in the perfect circle as she shook underneath him. He wanted those claws she was wearing to dig into his skin and leave marks on him, wanted her teeth to tear into him as she took her pleasure from him.

He made it down to his door and as he balanced the necks of the two wine bottles in one hand to open the door a slender body pressed against him from behind. Cardan sighed not wanting to deal with the princess of the sea— until he realized the figure was shorter and more full figured than Nicasia. His eyes slid down as tan hands came around him to play with the buttons on his doublet.

They flattened on his stomach one on top of the other.

“Leaving so soon, princeling?” Her voice is soft and quiet in the dim hallway and it has him shuttering from the tone.

“When you’ve experienced one of my father’s revelries then you’ve experienced them all. Plus it would be easier to get drunk alone in a personal room than in the middle of a public space where young suitors vie for your attention.” She upturned a palm and reached out. He pressed one of the bottles into it, thankful for the help to get into his room. Her fingers slid down the neck slowly, stroking only with her fingertips, in the most obscene gesture hinting at what would happen if she walked through his door— she wrapped them around it and gave one loose teasing rub before pulling the bottle away from his hand. His swallow was audible as he forgot who he was and what he was supposed to be doing at that second. The free hand opened his door and they were pushing through.

“I’m prince—”

“Cardan.” the rim of the bottle in her hand lifted and her lips wrapped around it as the heavy wooden door snicked shut.

“And may I ask your name,” he wanted to be able to say it until he got his fill, knowing that it would take him the rest of his immortal life to tire of it. “I wish to know who is in my room.”

That wickedly delicious smile stretched her mouth, “I’m sure that I’m not the first unnamed woman you have brought into your rooms, princeling.” The glass of the bottle clinked as it was rested on the table, fingers reached back to the tie on her neck and his breath hitched.

“Do you wish to do this,” she let go of the tie as her feet moved her forward, “you may call me Jude. And you may undress me.”

“Jude.”

He whispered it again as his own slender fingers were drug up her arms, goosebumps rising in their wake. Their eyes met as he pulled on the knot and the fabric slid down her neck, his eyes followed as it slowly revealed her full breasts and then her stomach. He groaned when her sex was bare of the silk, she raised the bottle to his lips and he swallowed, dribbles of liquid leaking from the corners and staining his neck and the neck of his white shirt. They were so close then that her breasts were firmly pressed to his chest, the hard planes firm underneath the layers he wore. Cardan carded his fingers through her hair, gently tilting her head back to lower his lips to hers.

Jude’s mouth was wide as his own relaxed and let the mouthful of wine run into her mouth, their lips met after she swallowed. Soft and firm was the kiss, soft was her skin under the firmness of his grasp. Sharp were his teeth as they nipped her neck, as they sunk into the flesh of a shoulder. She moaned low as her metal claws scraped down his back, one of his hands slid down the front of her to press one long slender finger against her. She jerked, digging in deeper making him hiss as his fingers slid into her, as they felt every inch of her.

They thrust and pressed against her walls, it made her toes curl in the heels she had on. Her head rolled back and with a need his tongue pressed to her throat to follow the vein up her neck. “You sound exquisite, you know?”

A hand fumbles for his breeches, his belt, the fabric bunches around his knees as she takes him in hand and he shouldn’t like the way her palm wraps around him with those metal claws. He shouldn’t but he does, it’s the purest form of ecstasy, having her touch him like she is, their lips met and slid together, tongues tasting each other as if they were the air they needed to breathe.

Soft curses where whispered between them as Cardan drug them over to the lounge sofa in front of his fireplace.

He lay beside her as her thighs parted to let him have better access to her, his fingers quickly found their way back inside her. Her mouth parted with swollen lips. Her earrings and necklace were askew as her head would tilt back to look for his mouth.

And that crown.

That amazing crown she wore stayed perfectly on as if enchanted by magic as her head would toss and turn, his tail flitted through the air before it wrapped back around her calf. His name continued from her mouth as her hand on his back tightened in her release. Her hand quickly found his cock and with a few tugs he followed soon after with his own release, letting his body slowly relax and lower next to her own. His lips pecked a few kisses against her neck and the shoulder he could reach. They waited to get their breath back, both coated with sweat as their legs tangled together. Jude didn’t mind his seed covering her stomach and instead sat up long enough to remove her jewelry and the claws. Cardan climbed off the sofa to fully undress as she kicked off her shoes and he turned to lift the crown off her head, enjoying how her mused hair fell even more around her face and neck.

“You are beautiful,” the words left him instantly as he laid back down next to her, her head lay on his chest a finger lazily running across his chest.

He was softly snoring within a few minutes, dreaming of dark jewels and the blood crown. 

Jude was across the throne room kneeling on the dias next to Balekin, who lounged on the impressive throne, it made Cardan pale even more with shock. The eldest on the throne? Everyone knew that Dain would be the successor to their father so why was Balekin—

When he started to retreat he fell having slipped on something and landed flat on his back, the coppery smell that suddenly permeated the air became even stronger in his nostrils. A slender hand slid along the floor when he tried to lift himself— he fell flat once more— and came face to gaping chest with his father’s corpse. Panic gripped him like a dam breaking, the feeling was the rush of water that would further loosen the barrier as he struggled to untangle himself and get up. Covered in blood, his wide dark eyes took in the bodies of his father and two of his sisters as their blood pooled around him. He spun— his father’s blood running down his face— droplets flying from the ends of his hair as the wet strands came to stick to his skin. A look full of murderous intent fixed on the eldest Greenbriar.

Jude remained kneeling and he couldn’t see her face. Where was Dain? Where was Eylowen?

_...you are weak... _

He could still feel the blood coating him when his eyes opened and a faint orange light made the dust like little stars in the glow of it. The sun was in the early stages of setting— giving a start to their day. 

He laid there gasping for air, a thin layer of sweat coated his chest and he was alone. His chambers in the palace were still and quiet. Not one stitch of her was there.

You are weak.

The voice was so familiar it seemed. Something in his stomach spun and his head screamed that he should know who said that. It all seemed so real.

Quickly dressing he intended to find out where his father’s guest had run off to, why would she just leave him in the middle of the day like so?

Not wanting to draw attention with the knowledge of how cruel his brothers could be to him he didn’t ask around for her. Cardan simply looked himself— down hallway after hallway coming up with no sign of the mortal.

His searching had led him outside and across the grounds of the palace. A boisterous laugh sounded not too far off as his feet took him to the top of a hill on the edge of the woods. Valerian had laughed at something, upon a closer inspection he had the torn wing of a smaller male faerie. The faerie in question was crying— a kick from Valerian had him downed a few steps away— the stump on his back from where the wing was torn off was bleeding and in the dark it looked black.

His friend turned and fanned Nicasia with the wing, her hair fluttering in the slight breeze, “Cardan, come.” She patted the grass next to her. “I forgive you for walking away last night.” Her next words were whispered between them, “she was strange and everyone thought that woman—”

“Jude, her name is Jude,”

Ignoring how he must know with a simple hum as if she is looking for words— and pretending like he didn’t speak. “Well they think she is quite the puzzle to figure out. And what she must be doing here, and for what reason.”

His blond headed friend snorts and uses the wing on himself, “I would just like to know what her thighs feel like. I bet she screams.” He laughs louder, “she probably likes it rough and with many men— fae or otherwise. She is here to get a look at the crown and probably not ashamed to sleep with whomever she can to get to it.”

Cardan didn’t want to get into it, not with Nicasia there, and not with how Valerian was. How to explain that she was an enigma. Someone who shouldn’t be there and yet always has to him. She fit so perfectly like a life that was always known.

He laid back and looked at the stars, a fascination that once wasn’t there until now. 

Valerian flicked the wing off to the side and watched with disinterest as it floated down to the faerie who quickly grabbed it and ran to the best of their wounded ability.

Maybe Cardan will have him checked on later— out of sight from his hostile friends.

“I hear that both Balekin and Dain are competing, even more so now that a pretty young marriageable woman has appeared.” Nicasia giggled, “your brothers really couldn’t just leave it to fight over the crown.”

Valerian snickered, “now they’re fighting over worm food in the form of a wet cunt. I’m sure it wouldn’t take any fancy sword play to win her over.”

“Enough,” their heads snapped to Cardan who huffed, mind working to form words. “While she is interesting, we don’t know why she is here. We also don’t know if she has any interest in the crown.” He lazily wrapped an arm around Nicasia, “I mean she could be here because my father’s court is grand enough to be seen by mortals from the north and west. Maybe, just maybe, it has nothing to do with my brothers. Maybe she is interested in watching the the way of our courts, my father does take a few ambassadors from the mortal lands after these revelries. And you would do best to remember that she is a guest of my father’s the High King Eldred, regardless of intentions.”

Soon conversation changed and Nicasia tossed a leg over his lap and began kissing his neck, sucking bruises against his skin as she guided a hand to her breast. Once upon a time he would have entertained the idea and taken her, Valerian be damned, but when he felt her it felt wrong. Everything was wrong now after having Jude curled into his side on that couch, but for now all talk of his brothers and the mortal have ceased, and it was enough for now.

Just enough until the blond smiled a little conniving smirk.

“I’d say you were interested in getting your hips between her thighs too, Cardan. Though I don’t think you’d be the first choice, being the last born.  _ If  _ she is interested in the crown.”

The young prince didn’t know how to spin this— or not react out of anger— and thankfully was spared, “and you seem to need a leash and muzzle, like the mutt you are.” He never turned his head so fast to see Jude stop in front of them, the skirts of the daytime sky colored dress seemed a little tight compared to the skirts last night. Had she brought other clothes? Was she an official guest of Elfhame and he never noticed? She was beautiful and he was faintly aware of the teal haired faerie snuggling under his arm even more. “If you wish to know what I am doing then you can ask. And it can be my choice to tell you or not.”

She was free of any jewels, hair tumbled down her shoulders and back. That fire lit up her strange eyes— they stayed a little too long on him— and with a soft smile, and upturn of her chin, she continued on. His dark eyes watched her go and with a glance at his friend, Valerian’s face had a twisted look.

It took a little persuasion to convince Nicasia that he wasn’t feeling up to having her in his bed, it wasn’t a lie but he couldn’t out right say it avoid hurting her feelings. She would tell her mother who would say something to his father, and if he turned a blind eye to when the eldest Greenbriar child beat him near to death then a punishment worse than that would await.

He also couldn’t just go look for Jude either. Not after denying the princess of the sea. Nowhere, though, did the universe decide that she couldn’t look for him. And did she find him, he was found in the library where he would go to think. Away from any eyes and ears. Cardan knew he looked every bit the deer in headlights and she wouldn’t look at him.

Her eyes scanned the shelves as she walked towards one, scanning for a book.

“Hello,” it came out much like a question from his lips.

“Oh, hello, prince?” She waited politely.

Had she forgotten his name? Surely not after the night they had. “Cardan.”

“Oh, princeling” she gave a faint smile and a look flashed in her eyes before it was gone too quickly. “You left the party so quickly we never got a chance to finish our conversation after the— the— Queen Orlagh’s daughter. The daughter of the sea, Princess?”

She politely waited so different than the lady from the night before. “Nicasia, her name is Nicasia. She’s a dear friend.”

There was a noise from the brunette as her lips tilted up into a sly smirk, “is she now? That’s sweet it seems one of you isn’t on the same page as the other. I would fix that before one expects too much— or too little.” A sun tanned finger strokes the back of a heavy looking text. Then she spun around the edge of one shelf and walked down the other, he was quick to follow. “Someone wants to be married and someone doesn’t, little faerie? People come and go, immortal or no? Marriage is marriage and love is love.” She was still looking for something.

“May I help you look for something, Jude?”

She froze and he slammed into her back, jostling her forward. Her eyes were on him no longer interested in the dusty jackets of cracked leather books. He swore her brown eyes were like gold and her teeth were bared. Cardan was thankful that she didn’t have those claws on her fingers, a little too late in noticing that the tips of her pointed fingernails were edged with the same metal. They poked him when she grabbed his jaw between her thumb and two forefingers, the littlest two dug into the side of his neck.

“How do you know my name, I surely have not willingly given it to thee.” It was a hiss and he felt it was all a threat— the moment those words passed through her berry stained lips her voice didn’t seem her own. He truly believed in that second she would gut him and no one would care. That someone would find him with his throat ripped out and the thought all together made his chest ache as he longed to have her. 

Something dangerous in her eyes suddenly dimmed and she straightened up, “sorry. I suppose one of your siblings let you know. I got tired of everyone trying to get in their good graces and just gave them my name. Any faerie here would cut off their legs and sell them to get a blessing from the royal family.” A huffy laugh as she withdrew, leaning back to pull a book out slightly off the shelf next to his head. Her eyes slid away from his to look at the title. “A name is a name, no power and yet all the power in the world. Do not forget that.”

“I’m sorry, if I would have known I would have asked.” He was absolutely confused. Did they not spend the night together?

She slid the book back into place and held up a finger, “manners. Only heir that I’ve seen so far here that has them. We should talk in a more appropriate setting next time. I feel that we may get along.”

He was curious and so very vexed by this woman, “did you enjoy yourself?”

There was a silence and he felt his face flush just a little why pretend that last night didn’t happen? “I mean last night with the court, I do hope you weren’t bothered too much by—”

“Princeling, ask your question,” she tapped a metal tipped nail against his nose.

There was a breath of air that passed, he was all too aware that a mortal woman was digging under his skin. Far worse than her claws and nails, and he didn’t seem to make any impact on her, she probably bedded plenty of princes and lords when she came of age. But some part of Cardan had hoped—

“Princeling?” She was closer and it made his blood warm.

“Are you here for one of my brothers, I noticed you left early— and so did Dain.” The implication was there and he hated the words once they were out of his mouth. “I’m sorry, just everyone is very—” her finger is up.

“I had a very tiring journey and King Eldred kindly,” the word fumbled from her mouth, “gave me a room to retire to. As for your brother he cornered me earlier asking the same thing.”

“You were in your room all night?” He was baffled.

“Do you not believe me?”

“I do, for what it is worth. You can not tell the truth so unwillingly like I must to guests.” They parted and with a smile he grabbed one of his favorite books off the shelf and handed it to her. “Here.”

He wasn’t sure what happened last night, how would he know her name so clearly if she didn’t spend the night with him? Jude continued down the aisle by herself and then with a look over her shoulder, “I had a strange dream about this library and had been wanting to visit. But it’s no different than any other one, well until the wonderful company I was given. Some advice? Do be careful, princeling, rose bushes hide thorns and snakes will always eat mice. But most of all, poison can be hidden in anything once a crown is on a head. And lives will be taken with a sword in anyone’s hand.”

His coal dark eyes followed her blue dress as she disappeared behind a shelf and he listened to her hum. Quite a puzzle indeed. It was as he had the heavy doors shut behind him did he realize she never officially gave him her full name and reason for being there.


End file.
